The present electronic postage meter system is a second generation, stand-alone postage system superseding the predecessor system generally shown in copending application, Ser. No. 406,898 filed Oct. 16, 1973 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,095; application Ser. No. 195,729 filed Nov. 4, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,946; and copending application, Ser. No. 377,234 filed July 9, 1973 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,592.
The prior postage meter system was one of the first of its kind using electronic accounting and control techniques to record and keep track of postage operations. The present inventive postage meter system follows in the steps of the previous system, but adds versatility, compactness, and flexibility to the electronic metering concept. The TTL logic of the prior system has now been replaced by a totally self-contained postage system built around an LSI micro computer set. The micro computer set provides flexibility by affording easy system changes by the addition of peripheral equipment and associated programming. The entire personality of the postage system is determined by the instructions in ROM. The inventive micro computer postage system can have the programmed capability of a more intricate system built into it, and when there is a need to expand the system, it can be accomplished without having to make intricate wiring changes as was required with the prior TTL logic system. Each micro computer postage system may thus be specifically fashioned to the needs of the individual user without difficulty.